The iCar V23 (we know it as an iCaur in Malaysia) will soon be offered with battery swapping technology in China, with the country’s ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT) releasing early details of the updated SUV.
Visually, the battery-swapping version will look identical to the non-swapping model, measuring in at an unchanged 4,220 mm long, 1,915 mm wide, 1,845 mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2,735 mm.
The battery swap-enabled V23 uses CATL batteries, as Chery is one of five major automakers that are collaborating with the battery maker to use its Choco-SEB battery swap standard. Other automakers include FAW, Changan, BAIC and GAC, with a total of 10 new Choco-Swap models set to be introduced.
According to the MIIT filing, the battery-swapping version will have a rear electric motor rated at 136 PS (134 hp or 100 kW), while the non-swapping version gets a more powerful unit with 252 PS (248 hp or 185 kW). The former is also lighter with a kerb weight of 1,720 kg, which is 15 kg lighter than the latter.
Given CATL’s Choco-Swap ecosystem is primarily for the Chinese market, it is unlikely the battery swap-enabled V23 will be offered in overseas markets. With battery swapping, customers will likely have to commit to a subscription model – similar to Nio’s Battery as a Service (BaaS) – that could lower the initial purchase price significantly.
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